Hibs players are scheduled to report back to East Mains for pre-season training in exactly three weeks’ time. But you’d have to think that a few of the current squad will be given an extra day or two to rest and recuperate.
Looking at some of the air miles and travel time about to be clocked up by a quartet of international footballers travelling to all four corners of the globe, it’s only right that Martin Boyle, Rocky Bushiri, Jojo Wollacott and Nathan Moriah-Welsh be afforded a little leeway. If not all of them are expected to get significant game time in World Cup qualifiers across three different FIFA confederations, the travelling alone is likely to prove exhausting.
With none scheduled to be back in Scotland until June 12 at the earliest, just nine days before day one – all going to plan – of the new manager’s reign, timings are going to be tight, to say the least. Removing time travelling to and from airports, changing flights and hanging around departure lounges, here is how the travel plans for the four break down:
1. Martin Boyle – Australia
The Socceroos star’s itinerary would make a round-the-world adventurer balk. It starts with a holding camp in Thailand, the thick end of 6000 miles and 14-and-a-half hours away by fast plane. Graham Arnold’s men then dash off to Dhaka to face Bangladesh next Thursday, before jetting ‘home’ to Perth, Western Australia, for the visit of Palestine on Tuesday, June 11. The Aussies have already secured their place in the next stage of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Total distance travelled: 20,000-plus Total flying time: 47 hours | Getty Images
2. Jojo Wollacott – Ghana
The Hibs goalie, who started the final four games of the season as veteran David Marshall recovered from an injury, has a relatively easy international schedule ahead of him. Even if getting from Edinburgh to Ghana is a 7000- mile round trip. Once he gets to base camp, Wollacott and his Black Stars team-mates are taking the short hop to Mali – a smidgen under two hours on the right charter flight – for their World Cup qualifier on Thursday, then popping back home to host Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Stadium on Monday, June 10. Total distance travelled: 8400 miles Total flying time: 14 hours | SNS Group
3. Nathan Moriah-Welsh – Guyana
From one end of the world to the other, right? The all-action midfielder, a January signing for Hibs, represents Guyana in the Concacaf section of World Cup qualifying. The 14-times capped Moriah-Welsh might be a little jet-lagged by the time he returns from the latest trip, given the number of time zones crossed. It starts and ends with the thick end of 12 hours flying to base camp in Guyana, a Caribbean nation on the north coast of South America. Start in Brazil, aim for Puerto Rico and you can’t miss it. Then there’s the 3000-mile round trip to play Panama next Friday. After the home game against Belize on Tuesday, June 11, Moriah-Welsh is free to rest and relax as he winds his way back to East Lothian for pre-season … Total distance travelled: 12,000 miles Total flying time: 31 hours | SNS Group
4. Rocky Bushiri – Democratic Republic of Congo
The central defender didn’t get a minute of game time in the Africa Cup of Nations this season, despite spending the best part of a month away with the DRC. But he may add to his two caps as The Leopards look to make ground in Group B of their qualifying section. In terms of travel, Rocky’s travel plans reflect the sheer scale of Africa. He and his international team-mates face a round trip in excess of 5000 miles for their June 6 game in Senegal. He’ll fly the 4000-plus miles back to Scotland after the home game against Togo on Sunday week. Total distance travelled: 14,000 Total flying time: 40 hours | Getty Images